Rankings!
We couldn’t wrap our blog without a few final thoughts and rankings of the parks we’ve visited! And of course, we answer the great burger-off question that we know you’ve all been waiting for.
We’re #1, We’re #1!
Official Ranking of National Parks*
*This only covers parks we visited and is in no way scientific or credible. It is purely based on our whims and feelings and a numeric grading system that would in no way hold up to analytical scrutiny.
Yosemite. A national treasure for a reason, and a place everyone should find a way to visit in their lives. Unparalleled views, trails, amenities, and pure wow factor.
Zion. Equal to Yosemite in so many ways, gets slightly dinged because access to the main canyon is a crapshoot. Once you’re in though, it’s stunning.
Grand Canyon. The. Grandest. Canyon.
Bryce Canyon. Doesn’t get the press of Zion or Arches, but it has spectacular views, less humans, great trails, and its layout makes it incredibly easy to access and see everything you want to in a day.
Big Bend. You really feel like you’re experiencing something wild and unique. Plus you can wade across the Rio Grande.
White Sands. Just a purely fun, bite-sized park that feels like you’re exploring an alien landscape. And, you can sled down sand dunes!
Arches. The whole Arches + Moab experience is an outdoor traveler’s dream. Just make sure you get there early.
Carlsbad Caverns. In the midst of the countless canyons and plateaus that make up national parks, it’s a great change of pace to explore these enormous and mysterious caves. Extra points for having a bottomless pit.
Channel Islands. We fell in love with these little islands off the coast of LA. So much to do and see, and you really feel like you’re exploring something untouched by throngs of tourists. Of all the parks, this is the one we wish we had more time in.
Guadalupe Mountains. Not the easiest to get to, but good rugged trails and a secluded, charming overall feel. Would go back.
Joshua Tree. So much to love about Joshua Tree, but the throngs of tourists and the terrible parking really hamper the overall enjoyment.
Biscayne. You have to plan ahead and pay money (for boat tours) to really experience it, but once you do it really feels like a hidden gem.
Canyonlands. Probably gets graded unfairly low due to being sandwiched between the spectacular sights at Zion, Arches, and Bryce. If you’re doing the Utah parks, it should definitely be on your list.
Pinnacles. A pleasant surprise with really solid hikes and views. Plus, you can see a California Condor! Downside is it’s out of the way and seems a bit neglected.
Everglades. Not the most scenic and can be miserable depending on the humidity/bugs, but the variety of animals and birds here are outstanding.
Death Valley. It’s a very unique place and feels like you’re seeing something you won’t see anywhere else, but just doesn’t have a ton of wow factor and the trails are meh.
Sequoia. Might be higher if the snow and fog hadn’t prevented a lot of exploration. Worth it to see the amazing trees, but not much beyond that.
Capitol Reef. Victim of our canyon fatigue and comparison to other Utah parks. Does have great pie.
Saguaro. The cacti are super unique and worth a quick trip, but once you’ve seen them the rest is a bit repetitive
Petrified Forest. Doesn’t deserve some of the hate it gets and the geology here is fascinating. It is a bit of a hike though just to see petrified wood on the ground.
Kings Canyon. Was mostly closed due to winter, but from afar clearly has spectacular views to offer.
Great Basin. Also mostly closed due to weather. One hell of a remote trip to get out here.
Congaree. Probably a lot more interesting on a sunny summer day when you can really explore. Sadly all we got was a cold, sleety swamp in February.
One Burger to Rule Them All
There are a lot of great burgers our there, and anyone lucky to live in close proximity to any of these (except for Jack In The Box) should feel lucky. But alas, there must be a (burger) king, and despite trying really really hard we couldn’t find anything that toped the sweet sweet buttery goodness of a Culver’s Butter Burger. I mean, it’s a burger fried in butter, who did you think was going to win?
Oh, hello.
Our final burger rankings:
Culvers (5 out of 5 Culverses) - The original, the best, the thing that clogs your arteries just from looking at pictures of it.
In-N-Out (4 out of 5 Culverses) - Damned close, but awful fries keep them from realizing their full culvers potential.
Blake’s Lotaburger (3.5 out of 5 Culverses) - A surprise competitor, but damn if their green chili cheeseburgers aren’t out of this world. Also a great chicken sandwich.
Whataburger (3 out of 5 Culverses) - Perfectly good burger that doesn’t quite measure up. But don’t worry Texans, you still get to claim best tacos no matter what Californians say.
Jack N The Box (1 out of 5 Culverses) - No.